Dr. Tracy Hagerty is a board-certified Cardiologist and Internal Medicine physician who joins the Cardiology Division at the University of Vermont Medical Center in Burlington. Dr. Hagerty believes the most rewarding part of being a cardiologist is not just connecting with patients about their disease and helping them to address treatment in a sustainable way, but the act of caring for her patients. She enjoys getting to know each patient and gaining a better understanding of the various contributors to their spectrum of heart disease. She strives to effectively partner with each patient to develop a care plan that they feel is easy to understand, attainable and offers maximum benefit to their long-term health. In addition to caring for the community, Dr. Hagerty is interested in broader applications and understanding of social determinants of health as they relate to cardiovascular disease. Her clinical interests include cardiovascular disease prevention, arrhythmias, cardiac devices and aortic disease. She manages patients across the entire spectrum of cardiovascular diseases and her primary outpatient clinic site is located at Northwestern Medical Center in St. Albans. She has conducted research on cardiovascular disease in American Indian/Alaska Native populations and is passionate about understanding barriers to care and how to best reach vulnerable populations. She has published on heart failure, aortic disease and geriatric cardiology. After studying International Affairs and becoming fluent in Spanish as an undergraduate, she participated in a year-long volunteer program as a social worker in inner-city Los Angeles CA. This experience piqued her interest in barriers to healthcare and later sent her back to school for post-graduate studies in order to apply to medical school. She is the first to pursue a career in medicine in her large extended family but followed the example of public service set by her parents. Her medical mission work in Central America and her work as a primary care physician in the Indian Health Service prior to entering her Cardiology Fellowship helped her gain a better understanding of barriers to care as they contribute to poor health. This work motivates her to understand the juxtaposition between prevention and progression of heart disease. In reflecting on her career, Dr. Hagerty expresses pride in the care that she has provided, the contributions she has made while serving in leadership positions, and the knowledge she has received from her patients, mentors and research experiences. She will continue to work toward broader improvement of public health. Read more about Medicine and Cardiology at the UVM Medical Center.